Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-02-27

An examination will show that out
side of the sums spent for property,
plans, and plant necessary to start the
work. and which will not have to be In
Cured again. the actual amount
"already spent" for material, labor,
&c. in construction and in payment for
material already prepared for construc-
ton which lies in immense piles IN and
around the City-Hall excavations, is
go, 7O1. 81. Now let any reasonable
citizen 90 and look at the amount and
character of the work done in the "hole
in the ground and believe he will be
satisfied that Richmond's new City
Hall appropriation is being spent to the
best advantage. Then again, as to the
"time it will take TO construct the
building" We all know the work was
begun September /, 1886; no one is
wise enough to know when 1t will be
finished. but a reasonable calculation
can be made as follows
The "hole in the ground containing
about 1900 cubic yards of earth has
been dug out the entire plant of i'm
mense derricks, railroads, tools, sheds.
&C.. has been built ; the granite for the
foundation (many thousands OF tons
has been quarried, prepared, and LAID,
and the outer foundatiOn-walls, as solid
as the world contains, has been built to
the level of tho basement floor, and all
this has been done in the short months
of September, October, and November,
of 1856. Winter and freezing weather
prevented further work on cOnstruc-
ton. but the stOne-cutters, quarrymen,
draughtsman, &c, have worked steadi-
" since preparing materials, NC, and
when the building season of 1887 opens
we will see that the work will be
pushed, and by the time the season
closes we viii see the building at least a
half story above the level of the street.
In the season of 1888 another story and
a half will be finished in 1899 the re-
mainder of the walls to the roof level (;
in 1850 the tower and roof, and in 1891
whatever remains to be finished inside.
So, by reasonable calculation, it will
take five years TO complete the build
ing. and building of its size and
character should not be pushed more
rapidly.
But why cast so many slurs on the
Building Committee? 1t is mere
fcure.head exercises a mere nominal
authority; it has invested Colonel Cut
shaw, as far as possible, with supreme
control and surely his known par
tielity for protecting and guarding the
city's interests should gave confidence
to the uneasy Taxpayer, even ii he has
none in the committee, which really
only exercises n supervising posi-
ton to the extent of formally approving
the acts OF the City Engineer, actually
completed before the committee meets,
and in giving out contracts to the low
est bidders who answer the advertise
ments for proposals for materials.
Eut, MIR. Editor, the publication Of
these unreasonable cavillings and shady
insinuations III regard to the expendl-
lures on the new City Hall Is producing
an effect which thoughtless writers AMI
iokers hardly anticipate, but which may
be the deliberate result aimed at by
bears of city bonds. l was surprised
TO lie told by one of our largest capt.
talists-a solid, "level-head, thoughtful
citizen-that he had closed out his
holdings of city bonds and would invest
in no more, and all on account OF the
want of confidence in city afiairs-pro-
duced by the free use of the columns
of our daily papers by "natural-born
kickers" and would.be witty, thought
less writers. Is it not time to stop and
critically examine into the merits Of
the complaints made before allowing
them to appear in print?
Yours, &C., 4. PIzzINI, Jr.